Winwick

I am constantly surprised by finding a really remote church, which I know will be locked because of its location, militantly open. I could write a list almost as long as a list but wont.

I am more amazed at the amount of churches that are kept locked in relatively safe environs for no apparent reason and the closer I got to Huntingdon the more they occurred.

I was going to be politely dismissive about All Saints until I found the south porch padlocked.

Let's assume the lead has been stolen from the roof - locking the church does not protect the roof.

Let's assume the local youth have been using the altar as a private sofa - keeping it open makes it less likely to be used as a sex shop - now there's an idea.

Let's assume that keeping it open will lead to it being treasured as a heritage building rather than an antiquated relic.

Anyway it doesn't sound very interesting.

ALL SAINTS. Perp W tower with broach spire. Two tiers of lucanes. The S doorway is a C13 re-use of Late Norman zig-zag set at r. angles to the wall. But the S aisle is of the early C14 - see one window with intersecting and one with reticulated tracery. The S transept has a Dec PISCINA, but a large Perp window. The chancel is a good C13 piece, with chamfered buttresses similar to those at Leighton Bromswold, and two N lancets. The large E window dates from the restoration by Slater & Carpenter, 1864. They are also responsible for the round, octofoiled clerestory windows. The arcades are late C13 and early C14. Four bays, low, on the S alternating round and octagonal piers with a little nailhead, on the N octagonal piers. The chancel arch responds are C13 too; the arch has two hollow chamfers. The N aisle and transept roofs have carved bosses. - SCREEN. Wide one-light divisions with ogee arches and busy details. Mostly C19. - PLATE. Cup inscribed 1569, made at Norwich; the Cover Paten matches.

WINWICK. We come into its little shrine through the oldest doorway in the village, built by the Normans but with its arch pointed by the first English builders. The rest of the beautiful little Norman church was made new about 700 years ago, and the handsome tower and spire are 16th century. The oldest stones in the structure, relics of probably the first church on this site, are let into the eastern wall. A striking feature of the church is the clear glass windows, the big window in what was once the private chapel of the Dukes of Buccleuch being particularly notable for its glass and its stone tracery. The screen and the altar table have both carving by Tudor craftsmen. The font is 13th century, and in the bosses of the roof we noticed two merry men who seem to have been laughing for 400 years. The peal of fine old bells, after having been damaged by lightning, has been rehung in our own time.

Flickr.